An additional 300 buses will operate in Hà Nội to meet commuter demand during the three-day holiday for the 72nd anniversary of National Day, starting September 2.

The number of passengers is expected to rise sharply on Friday night (September 1) and Saturday morning (September 2), the Hà Nội Transport Corporation said.

The corporation has asked transport companies to not increase ticket prices, not carry passengers beyond the permitted number, and not drink and drive, so as to avoid accidents.

Additionally, there will be continuous security presence at bus stations to maintain law and order, the company said.

The three holidays, approved by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, are from September 2 to 4 (Saturday to Monday).

Tra Vinh works to reduce poverty rate

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is making a beeline for sustainable poverty reduction, aiming to cut the rate of impoverished households in the locality by 2.5 percent by the end of this year.

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is aiming to cut the rate of impoverished households in the locality by 2.5 percent by the end of this year.

Developing infrastructure in special disadvantaged communes, supporting accommodations and fresh water for ethnic households as well as helping deprived families branch out production and improve livelihoods are among its efforts to realise the set target.

Director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Ut said that the province is splashing out over 7.4 billion VND (325,600 USD) on infrastructure development in seven poor coastal communes and 1.9 billion VND (83,600 USD) on production models.

Another amount of 47 billion VND (2.06 million USD) is being disbursed to provide accommodations for 1,880 poor households, he added.

Between now and the year-end, the department will work with local chapter of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to provide loans of 4.4 billion VND (193,600 USD) for poor labourers to work abroad. To date, the bank has disbursed over 186 billion VND (8.2 million USD) to help nearly 11,000 poor and near poor households and those escaping from poverty develop production.

In addition, poor families in the province have been assisted to pay electricity bills, health insurance and tuition fees.

Tra Vinh still has over 30,000 deprived households, accounting for 11 percent of total families. Its household poverty rate has dropped 2 percent from 2015.

PVF win semis, to meet Viettel in U15 final

Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talents FC (PVF) defeated hosts Tây Ninh 2-0 on Thursday to secure a berth in the final of the National U15 Football Championship.

PVF, who have not lost any game in this tournament, had little difficulty dominating the match against Tây Ninh who tried to play in defence, but could only create only two missed chances during the first half.

Tây Ninh, a team which were considered at a lower level, also had their own missed opportunities from Công Hào, Thế Phong and Minh Nhựt, whose shots went wide.

In the second half, PVF pushed forward with consecutive attacks but could only score when 12 minutes were remaining, with Nguyễn Hoàng opened to score with a straight shot.

The team doubled the score in additional time with Chí Bảo scoring a goal.

In the final on Saturday, PVF will meet Viettel again. The two teams tied 1-1 in the group round match.

Tây Ninh, meanwhile, shared third place with Sông Lam Nghệ An, who lost 0-2 to Viettel in the first semifinal on Wednesday.

Exchange progamme in Bac Ninh marks Moncada Barracks attack

The Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association on August 10 organised an exchange programme in the northern province of Bac Ninh to mark the 64th anniversary of the attack on Moncada Barracks (July 26) that culminated in the victory of Cuban armed forces against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh province People’s Committee Nguyen Van Phong highlighted the close, faithful and pure relationship between Vietnam and Cuba which has been cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh and President Fidel Castro, and fostered by generations of leaders and people of the two countries.

He briefed the participants on outstanding achievements Bac Ninh has recorded over the past time, saying he believes that the bilateral time-honoured relationship will always be preserved and strengthened, and that Cuba will win more victories in national construction and defence.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Herminio Lopez Diaz said Cuba is willing to cooperate with and support Vietnam in general and Bac Ninh in particular in bilateral activities, for mutual development.

Tra Vinh works to reduce poverty rate

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is making a beeline for sustainable poverty reduction, aiming to cut the rate of impoverished households in the locality by 2.5 percent by the end of this year.

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is aiming to cut the rate of impoverished households in the locality by 2.5 percent by the end of this year.

Developing infrastructure in special disadvantaged communes, supporting accommodations and fresh water for ethnic households as well as helping deprived families branch out production and improve livelihoods are among its efforts to realise the set target.

Director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Ut said that the province is splashing out over 7.4 billion VND (325,600 USD) on infrastructure development in seven poor coastal communes and 1.9 billion VND (83,600 USD) on production models.

Another amount of 47 billion VND (2.06 million USD) is being disbursed to provide accommodations for 1,880 poor households, he added.

Between now and the year-end, the department will work with local chapter of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to provide loans of 4.4 billion VND (193,600 USD) for poor labourers to work abroad. To date, the bank has disbursed over 186 billion VND (8.2 million USD) to help nearly 11,000 poor and near poor households and those escaping from poverty develop production.

In addition, poor families in the province have been assisted to pay electricity bills, health insurance and tuition fees.

Tra Vinh still has over 30,000 deprived households, accounting for 11 percent of total families. Its household poverty rate has dropped 2 percent from 2015.

PVF win semis, to meet Viettel in U15 final

Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talents FC (PVF) defeated hosts Tây Ninh 2-0 on Thursday to secure a berth in the final of the National U15 Football Championship.

PVF, who have not lost any game in this tournament, had little difficulty dominating the match against Tây Ninh who tried to play in defence, but could only create only two missed chances during the first half.

Tây Ninh, a team which were considered at a lower level, also had their own missed opportunities from Công Hào, Thế Phong and Minh Nhựt, whose shots went wide.

In the second half, PVF pushed forward with consecutive attacks but could only score when 12 minutes were remaining, with Nguyễn Hoàng opened to score with a straight shot.

The team doubled the score in additional time with Chí Bảo scoring a goal.

In the final on Saturday, PVF will meet Viettel again. The two teams tied 1-1 in the group round match.

Tây Ninh, meanwhile, shared third place with Sông Lam Nghệ An, who lost 0-2 to Viettel in the first semifinal on Wednesday.

Japan helps operate reservoirs, manage floods

A Japan-funded project on operating reservoirs in emergency and manage floods effectively using a comprehensive disaster management platform was signed in the capital city of Hanoi on August 10.

Signatories were the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The project has a total investment of over 18.2 million USD, including 16.65 million USD (1.8 billion JPY) of Japan’s official development assistance. It will be carried out in 36 months since the signing of the Grant Agreement (G/A) was signed.

It aims to mitigate human and property losses caused by rains and floods, contributing to sustainable socio-economic development via establishing a framework on operating reservoirs in emergency, developing a forecast system, and warning vulnerable areas along the Huong River in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue.

The outcomes of the project will be applied for other river basins across the nation.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang said the ministry and JICA have piloted the development of flood management plans for Huong River’s basin.

He expressed his hope that the project will not only supply equipment for forecasting and warning floods in Huong River’s basin, but also open up a new approach in terms of technology and flood prevention methods.

Fujita Yasuo, Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam, suggested the ministry allocate sufficient budget to facilitate the implementation of the project while completing paper work for a number of the project’s activities.

The Deputy Minister also urged the project management board to work closely with Japanese experts and relevant agencies during the project implementation.

Con Co Island to be connected to national power grid

Con Co Island in the central province of Quang Tri will become the 11th island nationwide connected to the national power grid.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Quang Tri province People’s Committee and the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) in Dong Ha city on August 10.

Accordingly, the EVN will supply power to 26 households,11 agencies and sectors, along with other public facilities on the island, which are using diesel-generated electricity.

The EVN has assigned Quang Tri Power Company to ensure round-the-clock electricity connection for the island.

Founded in October 2014 under the Prime Minister’s decision, Con Co has built a number of facilities, including a water supply system, a health centre, schools and roads to serve travel demand of local residents and tourists.

The two existing diesel-run generators on Con Co have provided electricity for the islanders for only 17-19 hours.

Located 30 km from the mainland, Con Co island, which crosses the 17th parallel, is considered an “outpost watch” due to its location.

Covering 2.3 square kilometres, it is one of the most magnificent islands of the central region with its diverse ecosystem.

Vietnam learns from India’s experience in promoting soft power

A delegation of the Centre for Indian Studies (CIS) under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) is on a visit to India from August 6-18 to explore how soft power is used in the country.

On August 9, the delegation visited India’s Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and engaged in a seminar on the India-Vietnam relations, under which the Indian side shared experience in promoting its soft power.

Later the same day, the delegation visited the Centre for East Asia Studies (CEAS) under the School of International Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Toan, who led the delegation, and CEAS Director Prof. Dr. Srikanth Kondapalli discussed the possibility to enhance the two sides’ cooperation in research and training in the field of soft power promotion.

They also talked about ways to enhance connectivity between scholars as well as learning exchange between Vietnam and India in general and the two centres in particular.

On this occasion, Toan co-chaired a seminar with professors, lecturers, researchers and students of JNU.

Apart from Delhi, the delegation is scheduled to make fact-finding trips to agencies and research institutes in several other states of India, and visit the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee in West Bengal state.

Toan told the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent that the visit is one of the practical activities aiming to foster the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

61 entries submitted to Nha Trang Sea Festival logo contest

The south central province of Khanh Hoa has received 61 entries for the Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Sea Festival logo contest, said the provincial Department of Culture and Sports.

Nine entries have been selected for the final round and are being display on the portal of the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee. The entry winning the first prize will be used as the logo of the festival, and receive 50 million VND in award money.

Four consolation prizes worth 10 million VND (440 USD) each will also be awarded.

The contest was launched in February this year, open for Vietnamese citizens living at home or abroad, foreigners working and studying in Vietnam as well as domestic and foreign organisations.

The biennial Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Sea Festival was first held in 2003 and has become a prominent social, cultural and artistic event of Khanh Hoa province.

The eighth of its kind was held in June 2017, featuring nearly 50 activities to honour the province’s sea and island advantages and culture. It drew nearly 120,000 visitors.

Saigon forecast to become Asia’s second fastest growing economy by 2021: report

Vietnam’s southern metropolis is on track to achieve 8 percent annual growth over the next five years.

Ho Chi Minh City will become the second fastest growing economy in Asia by 2021, Bloomberg cited a new study by the UK-based Oxford Economics as saying in a Wednesday report.

In the next five years, HCM City's economy is expected to grow by 8% each year, according to the study, which ranked Asia's 30 largest cities.

The city is the only non-Indian city in the top five that also includes New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Hyderabad, reflecting its success in establishing itself as a manufacturing center, as well as its strong services sector, according to Bloomberg.

In January, Chicago-based financial and professional services firm JLL ranked HCMC the world’s second most dynamic city, after India’s Bangalore.

The city was categorized in the “High Potential Cities” that are driven by low costs, rapid consumer market expansion and high levels of foreign direct investment.

In the first half of 2017, the southern economic hub attracted US$2.15 billion in foreign investment, double the amount it received in the same period last year, official data from the Ministry of Finance showed.

With economic expansion of 7.76% during that period, the city expects to hit annual growth of 8.4-8.7%, its leaders told local media in June.

Free books on cancer at K Hospital

The Vietnam Medical Association and Cancer Patients Assistance Fund “For a Brighter Future” and the Cancer Research Institute put up 50 bookshelves in Hanoi-based K Hospital on August 9.

They have been installed in the main lobbies of clinical departments and waiting rooms of medical examination departments in three K Hospital branches. The association will provide books and other literature about cancer on a weekly basis.

The aim is to encourage patients and their relatives to read about cancer research and treatment. Every bookshelf will have books, magazines, newspapers and brochures on cancer. People can read them for free and return them to the shelves after reading.

This initiative hopes to equip patients and their families with information about cancer treatment, nutrition and mental health care.

Team counsels medical staff about public online services

The HCM City Department of Health has set up a team to provide counselling for medical practitioners and healthcare facilities on the use of the department’s level 3 and 4 online public services.

At the department’s building, the teams work in a room equipped with computers, scanners and the internet.

Last year, the department, as part of the city’s online portal of public services, began to allow applicants to apply online. With level 3 and 4 online public services, applicants submit forms and settle service payments online. Transaction results are available either online or by post, per request.

For level 1 online services, procedures to fill in the required forms and other necessary information are explained online. The service allows the user to download the forms and print them out to submit to online public services level 2.

HCM City to get new Tân Kỳ Tân Quý Bridge

The HCM City People’s Committee has approved construction of a new Tân Kỳ Tân Quý Bridge and upgrade the An Sương – An Lạc section of National Highway No. 1 in Bình Tân District.

The new, four-lane bridge will be 82.9 metres long and 16 metres wide, and have a 1.5-metre pavement and stairs on either side.

It can be used by vehicles of over 30 tonnes, an improvement over the original bridge’s capacity of five tonnes.

The People’s Committee has awarded the contract to the Infrastructure Development Investment Joint Stock Company (IDICO).

It is expected to cost over VNĐ312 billion (US$13.73 million) to build the bridge and two temporary iron bridges for vehicles of less than 10 tonnes, which were built last September.

It will be done on a build - operate - transfer basis.

Nguyễn Hồng Ninh, director of IDICO, said construction would begin in the fourth quarter of this year and finish in 2018.

Vehicles have been banned on the existing Tân Kỳ Tân Quý Bridge since the collapse of an abutment pier following excessive rain a year ago.

The bridge had always been congested due to its small size.

Tour operators requested to adjust holidays to China’s earthquake-hit area

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has asked international tour operators in the country to follow the developments of a severe earthquake that recently hit China’s Sichuan province and adjust their schedules to ensure safety for tourists.

Travel agents taking Vietnamese tourists to destinations near the quake-stricken areas area were asked to keep abreast of developments constantly. In case of incidents, they must inform Chinese and Vietnamese authorities for support.

China National Radio reported that as of 3pm (local time) August 9, the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Jiuzhaigou county of Ngawa prefecture, the southwestern province of Sichuan that struck the previous day had killed 19 people and injured 217 others.

The China National Committee for Disaster Reduction wrote on its website that more than 130,000 houses might have been damaged by the earthquake.

The localities have implemented the directions of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on closing natural forests to avoid over-harvesting wood.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan, the Central Highlands has evaluated the projects, including 565 utilising forests and forestry land to grow rubber and 220 others turning exhausted forestry land into rubber farms.

Local authorities have strictly punished organisations and individuals violating State management on forests and forestry land.

They are also intensifying forest management, protection and wildfire prevention efforts.

Tuan said the localities will strictly manage socio-economic development plans that may harm the area and the quality of forests, especially natural and protective ones.

They will also weigh the social, economic and environmental efficiency of projects and suspend wood processing facilities violating legal regulations, he added.

In 2016, violations of forest protection and management fell by 8 percent compared to the previous year. However, in the first six months of 2017, cases rose by 7 percent.

Regional localities are speeding up forest planting aiming for 49.8 percent in forest coverage in 2020.

Indian Culture Festival to be held in Thanh Hóa

The Indian Culture Festival will take place at the FLC Sầm Sơn Complex in Thanh Hóa central province this Saturday.

The festival will feature performances and a food night market, offering visitors interesting entertainment activities. Festival-goers can watch a drama on Sita and listen to popular Indian songs.

In addition, visitors can discover the different Indian cuisines at the food night market.

With more than 1,000 rooms at the FLC Sầm Sơn’s hotels and villas, as well as a five-star golf course, indoor and outside swimming pools, spa, restaurants and bars, the complex is expected to be a “hot” destination this summer.

Last month, the complex successful organised the Lao and Thailand festivals, attracting thousands of people. It will also organise Russia, the US, Japan, China and South Korea festivals in the future.

HCM City reviews summer youth voluntary campaign in Laos

‘Pink Holiday’ Campaign, a meaningful activity with participation of Vietnamese youth volunteers in Laos’ provinces, ended on August 5.

Launched in July 23, the event aims to mark the 55th anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties (September 5) and 40th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty on Amity and Cooperation (July 18).

More than 110 volunteers of Ho Chi Minh City took part in many charity activities supporting Laotian people in Sieng Khouang, Attapeu and Champasak provinces.

Vietnamese volunteers completed their tasks, including building two Vietnam-Laos friendship houses; providing health care for 5,000 people; training and transferring agricultural and agro-forestry technology; offering gifts, scholarships, computers; decorating classes for children; organizing cultural exchanges between young people of the two countries, art and sport activities; building internal street library of Sieng Khouang province and children playing field; installing water hydrants at public places; improving power system for households; visiting and offering presents families who made contributions to the Vietnamese revolutionary.

Forest revived to save last members of rare monkey species

A group of 100 critically endangered doucs has shrunk to 20 since their habitat was destroyed.

The central province of Quang Nam has initiated a plan to replant 80 hectares (nearly 200 acres) of forest to expand the habitat of a group of rare primates which locals say have been disappearing.

Agriculture officials said they will replace local timber plantations with natural forests to give the grey-shanked douc langurs somewhere to live and a fresh food source.

They have also asked foreign management officials to maintain round-the-clock patrols of the area to prevent poaching.

The promise comes more than a month after the media reported concerns from local people that langurs in the province are slowly being wiped out due to a lack of conservation efforts.

Locals said there used to be roughly 100 members of the species in the province, but now only around 20 can be spotted.

The population started shrinking around 10 years ago when the forest was cleared to make way for acacia trees that are used for timber, they said.

Grey-shanked doucs have been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and are among the 25 most threatened groups of primates in the world.

The animal is native to Quang Nam and several other central provinces. Last year, the Fauna and Flora International announced a discovery of more than 500 individuals in the region, bringing the group’s global population to around 1,000.